Gillard laughs off leadership speculation

Julia Gillard has laughed off suggestions she could be the next leader of the Labor Party.

AAP

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard has ruled out replacing Kevin Rudd as leader before the next election.

According to the latest Nielsen poll, published in Fairfax papers, Mr Rudd's approval rating slumped by 14 per cent in a month.

That is the biggest slump in a prime minister's approval rating in a decade.

For the first time, his disapproval rating is higher than his approval rating, although he is still the preferred prime minister over Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Ms Gillard has laughed off suggestions she could be the next leader of the Labor Party.

"Not one individual in the Labor Party has spoken to me [about that]," she said.

"I'm focused on my job as Deputy Prime Minister. I love it and particularly I am proud of our achievements in education and in workplace relations.

"We've so much more to do, including rolling out, for example, national testing this week."

According to the poll, Labor and the Coalition are now even on a two-party preferred basis.

Ms Gillard says tough decisions are behind the Government's slide and she still supports Mr Rudd as prime minister.

"He is leading the Government in what has been some difficult circumstances, leading the Government as we front up to some hard decisions, leading the Government as we provide the economic leadership that people want and need," she said.

"Obviously in the recent period we've been dealing with some big questions - the super profits tax for example.

"These things are going to take some time to explain and work through with the electorate and we'll be focused on doing that."

Mr Abbott says the Government has broken promises, wasted money and does not know how to implement reform.

"Its idea of reform is a new tax," he said.

"Its idea of reform is a new government program and I don't think people are buying this anymore. In fact, I think there is a developing crisis of confidence about Kevin Rudd's ability to govern effectively."

This afternoon Mr Rudd will fronts his MPs for the first time in two months and will be asked to explain recent policy backdowns, such as shelving the emissions trading scheme (ETS).

Tasmanian Labor backbencher Dick Adams says Labor MPs want answers.

"The decisions that were taken, I guess we're all waiting for some reports on that when we get to Caucus today," he said.

"That's the way it works, that's the way it should work, but I think there needs to be some telling of [what is] the rationale behind some of those decisions and I think some of us are waiting to hear that."